Virginiamycin is an antibiotic registered for use in cattle, sheep, broiler chickens, turkeys, horses, pigs and horses. It is widely used as a growth promotant in growing pigs, broilers and turkeys or for reducing lactic acidosis in sheep and cattle or for preventing necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens. Another use of virginiamycin is for preventing laminitis, a condition in horses where the hooves become inflamed. Virginiamycin is a streptogramin antibiotic similar to pristinamycin and Quinupristin / Dalfopristin. It is a combination of pristinamycin IIA (Virginiamycin M1) and Virginiamycin S1. Virginiamycin is used in the fuel ethanol industry to prevent microbial contamination. It is also used in agriculture, specifically in livestock, to accelerate the growth of the animals and to prevent and treat infections.Synonyms: Ostreogrycin, Patricin, Pristinamycin, Staphylomycin, Stapyocine, Streptogramin, Vernamycin, Virginiamycin M1, Virginiamycin S1